Michael Cardone Jr., chief executive officer of CARDONE Industries Inc., has been selected as the first chairman of the newly formed Motor & Equipment Remanufacturers Association (MERA), an affiliate association of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA).
“Michael has been a driving force in the establishment of this new association and we are pleased that he has accepted this new role with the organization,” said Bob McKenna, president and CEO of MEMA. “Michael’s insights and leadership will be invaluable to MERA during its early growth and development,” he added.
Other members of the MERA Board of Directors, appointed at the recent MEMA board meeting, are:
• David Coolidge, executive vice president, Americas, global automotive aftermarket division, Bosch Group
• Selwyn Joffe, president, chairman and CEO, Motorcar Parts of America
• Steve Mance, vice president and general manager, Bendix CVS
• Bob McKenna, president and CEO, MEMA
• David Overbeeke, president, global brake and chassis, Affinia Group Inc.
• Mark Shasteen, vice president global service and engineering, Delphi Corp.
• Jack Vollbrecht, senior vice president, business development, Remy Power Products
• Doug Wolma, general manager, remanufacturing, ArvinMeritor
Additional board members will be appointed soon, representing leading remanufacturing companies. The selection of a staff executive to direct day-to-day operations also will be announced in the near future.
The association will concentrate on five areas of strategic focus: representation of remanufacturers; legislative and regulatory advocacy; vital market research and analysis; technology and data leadership; and member engagement through collaboration, networking and education. Future association activities include the launch of its Web site and publication of a remanufacturing environmental and economic market research and analysis report.
About MERA
The sole mission of the Motor & Equipment Remanufacturers Association (MERA) is to help its members be more profitable, innovative and competitive on a global scale. MERA advances the business interests of members supplying remanufactured motor vehicle components and related services by: providing a forum to address issues of common interest; serving as a resource for industry information and analysis; promoting the interests of the global remanufacturing community; and serving as a voice and positive change agent for the industry.
About MEMA
MEMA represents motor vehicle parts suppliers, the nation’s largest manufacturing sector, employing nearly 686,000 people across the country. Suppliers are also the largest manufacturing employer in eight states. These jobs contribute to 3.29 million private sector jobs across the country. Suppliers manufacture the parts and technology used in domestic production of new cars and trucks produced each year, and the aftermarket products necessary to repair and maintain more than 247 million vehicles on the road today.
MEMA supports its members through its four affiliated associations, Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA), Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association (HDMA), the Motor & Equipment Remanufacturers Association (MERA) and Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA). MEMA represents more than 650 member companies with global motor vehicle parts sales exceeding $600 billion and 65 percent of North American automotive supplier sales. For more information on the motor vehicle parts supplier industry, visit www.mema.org.
